Clustering Members of Project Teams According Their Perceptions About the Impact of Remote Work on Project Success: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the experiences of individuals involved in a project that had to quickly transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in late 2020, a period when remote work was intensive, and effective drugs and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus were not yet available. To collect the data, a link to a questionnaire was made available in project management groups on social networks. Out of a total of 162 voluntary respondents, data from duplicate records and those who were not involved in the project during the pandemic were excluded, resulting in 134 valid responses. The focus was on the perception of remote work in relation to project success criteria and respondent profiles. Data analysis was conducted using an ordered classification method, utilizing Likert frequency counts, data segmentation, and the k-modes clustering method, supported by the R programming language. The findings indicate that remote work has a positive influence on project performance. However, the impact varies across different respondent profiles. Data segmentation suggests that male participants, unmarried respondents, individuals without children or elderly dependents, those without a dedicated workspace, and project managers (when compared to team members) perceive remote work to have a less favorable impact on project success. In the cluster analysis using k-modes, data was organized into two clusters, and it was observed that within Cluster 2, which had a comparatively lower perceived performance, there were more components with similar profiles highlighted in the data segmentation analysis. This suggests that the multi-factorial effect is consistent with the individual segmentation of each profile variable. These insightful findings have significant implications for the development of tailored project continuity plans, particularly in situations requiring a swift transition to remote work. The study's main contribution lies in its innovative approach to distinguish between participant profiles, providing valuable insights into various criteria for project success.